Owner KRU WALTER MICHALOWSKI

*Kru Walter Michalowski (*Kru, translated means “teacher”) has over 30 years of training and experience in the Martial Arts. He is a former Muay Thai Champion in multiple weight classes and ended his Fight career with 8 Championship Belts including a Pro X.M.T.C. United States Middleweight Title.
Originally from the cornfields of Indiana, as a youth growing up in the Midwest his main interest were basketball and the guitar. Musically gifted, he learned to play the guitar at the age of 6 and by age 13, he was lead guitarist in a local band that consisted of band members in their late teens and early 20’s. After graduating from high school, he toured with a band and made his living for many years as a musician.

Combat Sports also started at an early age. Kru Walter first learned boxing at the school of hard knocks from his father, who grew up on the south side of Chicago and his uncle, who was a sparring partner for the then Middleweight Champion, Tony Zale. His obsession in the Martial Arts began like many who grew up in the era of Bruce Lee’s, “Enter the Dragon.”

He relocated to the Los Angeles area to pursue his music career. Several years later, he began training at the well-known IMB Academy in Torrance under Sifu Richard Bustillo, an original student of Bruce Lee. With dedication and a strong work ethic he acquired as a consummate musician, he advanced to the level of Staff Instructor in the Jeet Kune Do Concepts. It was also while training at the IMB Academy, that he discovered his true passion, Muay Thai.
Kru Walter’s first Muay Thai instructor was Nanfa Serchadeco, a Rajadamnern Stadium Champion and an Olympic Medalist in Boxing. After Nanfa’s untimely death after only a few years since he began training, Kru Walter was devastated at the passing of his mentor. Several of Nanfa’s friends encouraged him to travel to Thailand to train at the famous Sityodtong Camp with the legendary Grandmaster Yodtong Senanan.

With a letter of introduction in hand written by a close friend of Nanfa’s and the Serchadeco family, Supachai Prasertphong, Kru Walter packed his bags, left everything and everyone behind and went on a journey of a lifetime.

It had been a dream come true for Kru Walter to have trained with Grandmaster Yodtong, the trainer of Champions and to be part of the prestigious Sityodtong Legacy. In 2003, with plans to open his own Muay Thai Academy in the Los Angeles area, Kru Walter spent several months at Sityodtong training in preparation for his final fight in Thailand. His opponent, an experienced Thai Fighter was also 15 years his junior. In a spectacular first round knock-out and with the entire Sityodtong Camp in attendance including Grandmaster Yodtong, Kru Walter not only walked away with an impressive win, he made a lasting impression.
The next day his KO victory was all the rage amongst the Trainers and Coaches and then the Grandmaster himself approached Kru Walter and personally appointed him to head Sityodtong’s West Coast Branch in the United States. It was an honor and a responsibility he did not take lightly then or now.

Just another day at the office with Kru Walter’s mentors and notable coaches, the famous Payakaroon Brothers . . . megastar, Samart Payakaroon, a 4-Time Lumpinee Stadium Champion and a WBA Boxing Champion and his older brother, Kongtalanee Payakaroon, an amazing 5-Time Lumpinee Stadium Champion in 5 different weight classes.

His Boxing Coaches include the well-respected Freddie Roach of Wild Card Boxing Gym and Manny Pacquiao fame. In addition to Justin Fortune, former Heavyweight Contender, owner of Fortune’s Gym in Los Angeles and Manny Pacquiao’s Strength and Conditioning Coach.
Kru Walter’s good friend and always in his corner, Justin Fortune.